Is Spring Awakening appropriate for a 14 yr old?- Page 4

[kgallo]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 5:58pm

"I don't think that anyone has the right to tell someone else how to raise their child. Everyone experiences their own "awakenings" in their own due time, and maybe 14 was the right time for you, but it may not be the right time for this 14 year old. I disagree with you in the whole adults trusting kids thing. I would imagine that an adult or parent is allowed to be concerned about what their child learns at a certain time because some of these things can be dangerous and life-changing."

If you read my previous posts you would know that this is NOT the point I'm making at all! I clearly stated that everybody and every situation is differnt and the decision to let your child see this show should be left to the discretion of the parent. I also clearly stated that all 14 year olds are not at the same maturity level. I never once stated that adults should not be concerned about what their children are learning, but quite the oposite actually.

I shouldn't have to reiterate what I already wrote...go read the origianl posts.

[My Strongest Suit]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 6:03pm

no. i am 20 and i just saw it with two of my girlfriends and i was uncomfortable during the show. don't get me wrong, it's a good show, but way too intense and "graphic" for a 14 year old.

[StephenSondheimWHOO]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 6:11pm

Do some of you guys really think that any adolecent over 11 or 12 hasn't been exposed to 10 times what is in SA.

[broadwaybaby77]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 6:21pm

kgallo, sorry for misinterpreting that. I was just basing my thoughts off of this post alone, and god knows I've read this thread so many times I can't recall every last detail.

StephenSondheimWhoo, I don't really know what to say to that. I'm an adolescent and I haven't been exposed to 10 times of what's in SA.

I wonder if the original poster is reading this thread...

[Bri2]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 6:32pm

It truly depends on the child. My 12 year old brother saw it and understood everything.It's true, kids hear ten times worse at school. In my family, we have a rule that seeing things with curse words and such is fine as long as we don't repeat it. It works well for us...But yeah it depends on the kid nad how comfortable you are with them seeing it. The nudity really is tasteful and the cursing is nothing compared to school. I don't know, at 15, I believe I had known at least one person who had experinced everything in that show. My brother said that too. So yeah, It depends on the kid, but it's not like they aren't gonna hear everything 1000times worse at school or on the street

[My Strongest Suit]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 6:35pm

it all depends on the kind of kids you hang out with.

[snl89]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 6:44pm

^really?

I tend to agree with StephenSondheimWhoo.. I'm a very young 17 and, ok maybe I havn't been exposed to TEN times of whats in SA, but I've certainly been exposed to a LOT more.

I dont necasserily think that the message of SA is that parents should be more TRUSTING of their children, but I do think that the show is very relavent and very needed in our day and age. As I was saying before, it really worries me how casual teens, especially teen girls, have become when it comes to their bodies and everything. Just the fact that all of a sudden its not even a big deal to be talking about giving guys blow jobs and other things like that sends a message to girls that they should be comfortable doing those things. Girls are being taught from such a young age not to have respect for their bodies, and guys to an extent too, because guys are obviously also involved. Even just things like walking through the halls and hearing girls shout "help she's raping me!" jokingly really bugs me. Is that really what we want teenagers to be learning these days- that rape is something lighthearted enough to joke about? And it doesn't just stop at sexual references either. Drug and alcohol abuse is something that's now so casual to mention. Maybe not so much in school for those, at least not in my school, because my school is really trying to crack down on drug and alcohol abuse so people know they'd get in trouble, but in general its something you hear a LOT. I mean, you go on myspace and SO many people brag about those kinds of things.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 6:44pm

"it's a good show, but way too intense and "graphic" for a 14 year old."

Maybe when you were 14 but times have changed.

"it all depends on the kind of kids you hang out with."

EVERYONE hears this stuff even if you don't hang out with kids who talk about stuff in this show(which is nearly impossible).

[kgallo]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 6:54pm

I feel that I need to clarify something...when I say that adults should trust their children I don't mean to just let the kids go out and do whatever they want...I mean trust as in trust that they can handle the truth. Too often adults think that something is not an appropriate subject for kids to hear about because they think they won't understand or they are too young...I simply feel that kids of all ages and regarding a vast array of subjects should be given the opportunity to try to understand. That's what I meant by the whole trust thing, sorry if I was misleading.

Updated On: 1/21/07 at 06:54 PM

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:00pm

yes, I do know a lot about A Chorus Line, and Dance:Ten, Looks:Three happens to be my favorite song. Homosexuality does't bother me. I saw that Oprah episode about Thirteen, and I was 12 and wanted to see it soo bad but my mom wouldn't let me and I begged her but still no. I still have not seen but my friend did and told me all about it, and frankly, even though some of those issues are prevalent in teens, they're certainly not with the people I hang out with. Because I am smart and hang out with good people. I know a lot about the real world, becoz, you don't even know me. Just answer the poster's question, don't directly disagree with someone else's idea.

To the oringinal poster: It's nothing to do with if she can "handle" it or not, obviously she can if she is 14, but I'm just saying there are TONS of much much better shows out there you should be spending your money on. If you want to take your child out for a great night at the theatre, I strongly recommend Wicked. It's perfect for teens, and it won't leave them with any thoughts about sex or masterbation or anything like that. But hey, if you want to spend $110 to watch 20-year-olds screw on stage for 2 hours and 15 minutes, that's your choice. = )

I am SOO over you people on this board, you have no idea how to just let someone have their own opinion without completely bombarding and bashing them.

[StephenSondheimWHOO]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:00pm

"it all depends on the kind of kids you hang out with."

No, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but that is not true.

[kgallo]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:06pm

"But hey, if you want to spend $110 to watch 20-year-olds screw on stage for 2 hours and 15 minutes, that's your choice. = ) "

This is just a really bad synopsis of the show.

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:08pm

Isn't Spring Awakening about what happens when kids are sheltered?

[kgallo]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:09pm

Hallelujah!!!

[My Strongest Suit]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:12pm

but i don't think there's a teenager or pre-teen alive today who doesn't know that sex can get you pregnant.

[kgallo]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:14pm

You're probably right but in 1891 there were probably several 14 year olds, which is the age of Wendla, who were in the dark.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:19pm

Lizzy, I actually think SA is the perfect show for teens. I talks a lot about the issues teenagers go through, and being a teen myself, I can relate. Just because the issues brought up in the show aren't prevalent in the group of people you hang out with, doesn't mean others aren't going through it.

[fairygodmother]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:21pm

the problem is, lizzya9, that when you say very judgemental things like 'i'm fine cos I hang out with "good" kids', or 'this message is "not good"' etc, then people will feel strongly about your opinion. if you say "the show wasn't for me, and as a younger theatregoer I didn't feel very comfortable" then you're answering the post without getting into an argumentative state. I'm a teacher and i work with students from 5 to 25 (and I'm 25 myself), and I think its dangerous to suggest that bad things happen because the people involved are "bad" themselves - it can take a silly mistake, a wrong influence, boredom etc to have something happen to you or for you to make a choice you may later regret, for whatever reason. I don't want to scare you, but bad things happen to good people - especially those who think they are somehow "beyond" it. I think the message of this show reflects that in many ways - some characters have better intentions than others, just like real people do, but ultimately there is nothing completely evil portrayed. uninformed, yes. pressured, maybe. but not evil. and, as many people have said, its parents/teachers/peers considering even thinking or talking about certain subjects wrong or evil or not worth it that's what leads to the problems characters face.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:23pm

"it all depends on the kind of kids you hang out with."
No, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but that is not true.

Well, it's only been six years since I was fourteen, and it was certainly true then. Has it changed that much?

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:29pm

"Because I am smart and hang out with good people. "

So do I but you still hear this stuff.

"but I'm just saying there are TONS of much much better shows out there you should be spending your money on."

You haven't even seen the show.You don't even know what its about.

"I am SOO over you people on this board,"

Good. Now you can get off. Go have fun crying about Beauty and the Beast closing. If you want to cheat yourself of giving show a chance just because "Lea Michele said a cuss word" then go ahead.

"I know a lot about the real world, becoz, you don't even know me."

I don't know you put by judging your posts you do not have knowledge of what issues are relevant in teens lives. I keep responding to your post because your posts are invalid.

[alliez92092]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:32pm

Even if you hang out with the so called "good kids," your still going to be exposed to sex and drugs and whatnot. Back in seventh grade, I hung out with the really good kids. But when two of the kids in our grade had sex, EVERYONE knew about it, and everyone talked about it. So even though I didn't hang out with "those kids" I was still exposed to everything.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:33pm

"But when two of the kids in our grade had sex, EVERYONE knew about it, and everyone talked about it. So even though I didn't hang out with "those kids" I was still exposed to everything."

Same thing here and probably with every school.

[pants2]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:42pm

well, i'm 16 and I didn't have a problem. It's true, there is nudity, but not intense nudity, there is masturbation but you don't actually see, it, and there is sex but again you don't actually see anything,and the song abouut the word f**k, is good, and I'm pretty sure if your daughter is 14, she can handle it.

[fairygodmother]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:45pm

/ absolutely.
careful, becoz - the feud between you and lizzya is going round in circles, and starts to threadjack! i think everyone reading these knows that she doesn't like it and you do, that she has a thing about lea michele swearing and you don't agree, that she hasn't seen the show, and that she likes beauty and the beast. have a little cyber-hug and agree to disagree for a while - i'm sure you'll find something soon enough!

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:52pm

yes, I do know a lot about A Chorus Line, and Dance:Ten, Looks:Three happens to be my favorite song.
But doesn't it make you want to go out and get a boob job? That seems to be your logic here.

As it's probably been said before, the characters in Spring Awakening are all around fourteen. The show was made around young teens that age. It depends on the actual person who sees it for their comfort level (I was totally fine with friends), but I think a fourteen year old would definitely understand it.

And just because you may be "smart" and hanging out with "good people" does not mean that these issues don't directly affect you, or even that people that do those things are "bad". I wouldn't do those things at such a young age, but who am I to disregard another person just because they did something I wouldn't? And just because I saw the show doesn't mean that I'd go out and have sex with someone just because they did it in a show I like, whether I was 10 or 100.

See the show before you judge who should see it or not.
Updated On: 1/21/07 at 07:52 PM